Of particular significance was the dis¬ 
position of the early nesting species. In 
a normal year by June 7 or 8, pintails 
are usually counted as single males or 
small flocks of deserter males. Seldom 
are many paired pintails observed that 
late. As late as June 10 when the survey 
was terminated this year, pintails were 
observed not only as pairs but in sizable 
flocks of mixed sexes. This seemed to 
indicate idle hens which had either de¬ 
serted an early attempt or had not at¬ 
tempted to nest in the first place. The 
late-nesting scaup and scoters were also 
rafted in flocks of mixed sexes, but there 
was still time for them to make a re¬ 
covery unless their physiology was also 
derailed by the late spring. 
Production indexes 
As predicted at the time of the water- 
fowl breeding population survey, the pro¬ 
duction of all species was down from 1963. 
All the dabblers and canvasback—the 
early nesters—were particularly hard hit. 
The overall trend on the two major 
study areas of the interior was almost 
identical. At Tetlin, 61 percent fewer 
broods were counted than in 1963. On the 
Yukon Flats, 58 percent fewer broods 
were counted. Canvasback were down 86 
and 79 percent. Pintail were down 64 
and 66 percent. Widgeon were down 76 
and 53 percent. Mallards were down 91 
percent at Tetlin but only 8 percent on 
the Yukon Flats. Conversely, green¬ 
winged teal were down only 30 percent at 
Tetlin but 68 percent on the Yukon Flats. 
When the first brood count terminated on 
July 24 it was still too early for an ac¬ 
curate assessment of the scaup trend. 
The first broods were just starting to 
appear. 
The hatch for all species in all areas 
of Alaska was much later than normal. 
In 1963 at Tetlin, 44 percent of all broods 
counted were age class I, 35 percent age 
class II, and 21 percent age class III. On 
the same dates in 1964, 78 percent were 
age class I, 22 percent age were class II, 
and no broods of age class III were ob¬ 
served. The comparison on the Yukon 
Flats was very similar. 
In contrast to the late hatch and few 
broods, the average brood size was un¬ 
accountably and exceptionally large. In 
1963 at Tetlin, 126 broods averaged 7.3, 
and in 1964, 49 broods average 7.1. On 
the Yukon Flats in 1963, 160 broods 
averaged 6.9, and in 1964, 76 broods 
averaged 6.8. The brood size of all 
species remained high (table B-4). 
The calculated 90 percent loss of brant 
production in 1963 was verified in July 
of this year when a sample of 2, 064 
flightless birds were trapped during the 
moult. Of this random sample only 3.6 
percent were yearlings, whereas 40 per¬ 
cent of a comparable sample were year¬ 
lings following the last optimum hatch. 
Special Studies 
Data supplied by Peter E. K. Shepherd 
Alaska Department of Fish and Game 
Breeding pair censuses 
Ground breeding pair censuses were 
conducted between June 7 and 13 for the 
third year in succession at Minto Lakes. 
Conditions for the ground counts were 
more varied than in 1962 and 1963 with 
water levels much lower at the time of 
the surveys. These counts revealed a 
population of 40 drakes per square mile, 
a drop of 31 percent from average. 
Scaup were about the same, but dabblers 
were down 30 to 50 percent. 
Nesting and Brook Surveys 
There was a 20 to 25 percent decrease 
in black brant nesting densities. The 
average clutch size in 1964 was down 
slightly from the 3-year average, but 
the average brood size of 3. 2 goslings 
at hatching was about the same. 
An aerial brood count of brant suggest¬ 
ed that this season’s production equaled 
the average of the past 3 years and was 
approximately the same as in 1961. 
4 
